THE ST. AUGUSTINE RECORD
Friday, August 08, 2003

Books: An odd collection of 'Tales from the Oldest City'

By:Peter Guinta
Senior Writer

"Tales from the Oldest City" is the second book published this year by Randy Cribbs, a retired Army lieutenant colonel who lives out by the St. Johns River, but who loves St. Augustine.

Cribbs is becoming quite a prolific writer. His first book is a self-published collection of poems about Vietnam titled "Were You There?"

But "Tales" takes a different approach. It's a collection of unusual short stories and poems about St. Augustine and its characters.

Cribbs spends a lot of time downtown -- walking, watching, taking notes and talking to people, tourists and locals alike.

The dozen very readable stories in "Tales" have captured the spirit of those experiences and conversations. Many have places in them that residents will recognized, others have invented places.

Some of them, such as "So Little Time...Maybe," and "Tattoo" are written in the traditional short story form. Others, such as "Peanuts," and "Rusty" are sketches in a narrative form that still work pretty well as stories.

" Love Is..." relates a story of war -- and love, naturally.

" Flyman" is just funny.

Cribbs weaves fact and fiction, but his love for St. Augustine and Florida -- especially for Old Florida -- is obvious.

His short poems are broken up into three chapters: Colorful Characters, Places and Secrets.

These verses are more laden with imagery than those in "Were You There?" But that book's poems still did an excellent job of revealing the weary resignation of the American soldier in Vietnam. The emotional truth shines through the form.

" Tales," at $11 a copy, ought to sell well. It sat on my desk for a week, and nobody who came over to talk to me failed to pick the book up and thumb through it, commenting that they wanted to borrow it.

(They'll have to get their own copy.)

Order either of Cribbs' books through his Web site at www.somestillserve.com .

He also expects to be signing books at the St. Augustine Barnes & Noble from 1 to 3 p.m. Aug. 23.

When I first arrived in St. Augustine, in October 1998, I sat on the Plaza de la Constitucion for about an hour, just watching people pass by and thinking to myself, "I can live here. I love this place already."

Cribbs realizes that St. Augustine compels people to want to learn more about its soul and secrets, to dig deeper into its emotional heart, to want to belong to history.

Yes, his stories are only fictional snapshots of this town.

Some are deep. Some are fun. But all have an ease of narrative and accuracy of observation that is very timeless and appealing to anyone who loves the Oldest City.

THE ST. AUGUSTINE RECORD
Monday, November 11, 2002

Retired Lt. Col. Randy Cribbs found understanding in poetry
By MICHAEL REED
Staff Writer
Today is Veterans Day, a time for Americans to recognize the people who have put themselves in harm's way to serve their country.

All veterans ask in return for their service is an acknowledgement that they are the caretakers of peace and recognition of the sacrifices they made, said Lt. Col. Randy Cribbs, retired.


Cribbs, a St. Augustine resident, served in the United States Army for 26 years.

"I think to a great degree in a free democracy society such as ours, that veterans are the great ambassadors for peace," Cribbs said in an interview with The St. Augustine Record.

Cribbs wrote a collection of poems about his service in Vietnam. The book, "Were You There? Vietnam Notes," should be available in mid-December through www.somestillserve.com .

The intent of the collection of poems is to give Vietnam veterans and their families a way to gain an understanding of the war.

"In writing them, I discovered I came to grips with some things," he said.

Vietnam was a strange time and a confusing conflict, particularly for the young soldiers, he said.

The guerilla combat environment where attacks come from all sides added to the confusion, he said. And the nation was divided on whether the U.S. should be in Vietnam.

"Whether it was right or wrong, it wasn't the soldier's call," Cribbs said. "The soldier went because he was sent there."

Soldiers weren't really mistreated when they came home from Vietnam, but they were ignored, he said. But Cribbs isn't bitter, and he said things have changed. Vietnam veterans are getting the acknowledgement they deserve, he said.

"It's been fantastic," he said.

He attributes much of the turnaround to the Gulf War. National Guard and U.S. Army Reserves troops were used, and they have a more personal involvement with the citizens, he said. Also, either consciously or subconsciously, the country was making amends for the way veterans had been treated.

The country and the soldiers who fought in the Vietnam War have mellowed, he said.

Today more than eight million Vietnam veterans are living in the U.S., and there are 18 million living veterans of other wars, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

President George Bush issued a proclamation last week recognizing today as Veterans Day. He also urged Americans to recognize the "valor and sacrifice" of veterans in ceremonies throughout the week as part of National Veterans Awareness Week.

"These remarkable individuals have helped to make our Nation secure and to advance the cause of freedom worldwide," Bush said in the proclamation. "By answering the call of duty and risking their lives to protect their fellow countrymen, these patriots have inspired our Nation with their courage, compassion, and dedication."

The Florida National Guard, St. Augustine Chapter of the Military Order of the World Wars and the St. Johns County Veterans Service Office will host a ceremony at the National Cemetery today at 11 a.m. on Marine Street.

The public is invited to attend.